Hey there, viewers! Drinking the right amount of water is crucial for your health.
Dehydration can cause headaches, fatigue, rapid heart rate and even organ failure.
While drinking water is important, hydration can also come from food!
In today’s video, we’ll be discussing 19 water-rich foods that contribute a large
amount of water to your diet, and help you stay hydrated. Does plain yogurt contain water? What
about cabbage? Are bell peppers on this list? We’ll be talking about all of these AND more...
Plain Yogurt
You might be surprised to learn that a cup of plain yogurt has more than 75%
water. It also provides a bunch of nutrients like calcium, phosphorus and potassium,
all of which enhance bone health. Yogurt is also rich in protein.
Because of this, yogurt curbs your appetite and promotes weight loss.
Go for plain yogurt, as the flavored kinds are packed with added sugars.
Most flavored yogurts contain four times more sugar than plain kind.
Their intake should be limited, as they cause obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
Do you like eating plain yogurt? How often do you have it? Sound off in the comment section,
and start a conversation with our Bestie community...
Coconut Water
Who doesn’t love coconut water? It’s a very healthy beverage that will fill
your hydration needs. If you get sick, the doctor will often recommend coconut water.
This is because it also contains electrolytes like sodium, potassium and chloride. This way,
coconut water can help you restore the body's electrolyte balance.
Coconut water can also help with post workout recovery. This is because of it’s electrolyte
content. Next time, ditch your regular sports drinks, as they’re loaded with sugars
and harmful ingredients. Go for coconut water instead. It’s perfect for a hot day in the sun.
Watermelon
How refreshing is watermelon? I mean, it’s super healthy and hydrating at the same time.
You’ll be amazed to know that a cup of chopped watermelon contains over a half cup of water.
It also packs fiber and other nutrients like vitamin A, C and magnesium. On top of that,
it’s very low on calories. Watermelon promotes fullness, and can help you lose weight.
Additionally, watermelon contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant.
It destroys free radicals in your body and prevents diabetes and heart disease.
Instead of eating unhealthy snacks, eat watermelon as your mini-meal.
Cantaloupe
Another fruit in the melon family! Cantaloupe is nutrient-dense and
very beneficial for your health. A cup of cantaloupe consists of about 90% water,
and provides more than half cup per serving.
Almost 2 grams of fiber is found in a cup of cantaloupe, which decreases your appetite by
promoting fullness. Cantaloupe is also high in vitamin A, which helps fight infections.
You can eat cantaloupe plain. It also makes a great addition to salads and smoothies.
Strawberries
Strawberries are very hydrating, containing about 91% water. These
red berries are super nutritious, and provide powerful antioxidants,
fiber, vitamin C, manganese and folate. Eating strawberries regularly can lower inflammation,
which prevents diabetes, Alzheimer’s and different types of cancer.
Strawberries can be eaten whole, making them a great snacking option.
You can also top them up over your yogurt or cereal bowls. If you’re
looking for a refreshing drink, what’s tastier than a strawberry smoothie?
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Peaches
Like strawberries, about 90% of a peach’s weight is water.
They’re a very hydrating fruit. In addition to their high water content,
peaches have a lot of nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium.
You should eat peaches with their skin on, as they provide antioxidants like chlorogenic acid.
This fights disease. Peaches promote fullness, and are low in calories. This is all thanks to their
water and fiber. Juicy peaches can be added to your diet in many ways. Prepare a salad,
mix up a smoothie, or top them over your waffles and pancakes.
Oranges
Citrus fruits, especially oranges, have been in the limelight during the pandemic. Oranges are
wonderfully healthy. One cup of orange provides almost half a cup of water. In addition to fiber,
oranges offer vitamin C and potassium, which benefits your immunity and heart health. The
water and fiber in oranges make it very filling and can control your appetite.
Oranges are also packed with disease-fighting antioxidants
like flavonoids, which decrease inflammation and prevent cell damage.
Eating citrus fruits on the regular provides you protection against kidney stones. The
citric acid in oranges will bind with calcium oxalate and help eliminate it from the body.
Grapefruit
Another incredibly healthy citrus fruit! Half a grapefruit contains about half a cup of water,
which is pretty good for your daily hydration needs.
Grapefruit is also loaded with fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
This includes vitamin A, potassium and folate. Not to mention the immune-boosting vitamin C!
Research suggests that grapefruit will help you lose weight,
and decrease cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
Cucumber
Cucumbers are extremely hydrating. They’re made up almost entirely of water! These lean vegetables
provide vitamin K, potassium and magnesium, but only in small amounts. Cucumbers are one of the
lowest in calories compared to other water-rich veggies. This is why they’re so helpful when
managing weight. Cucumbers are a staple in salads, and also go well with sandwiches and soups.
Zucchini
A cup of chopped zucchini contains more than 90% water, and 1 gram of fiber. Being rich in water,
zucchini is very low on calories. Zucchini also provides vitamin C, which is essential
for a healthy immune system. You can easily add zucchini to your diet by sauteing,
baking or stir frying them. Zucchini also makes a delicious addition to pasta. You can
even make zucchini into “zoodles”, which are way healthier than regular noodles.
Cabbage
Cabbage is an extraordinarily healthy, leafy vegetable. It contains more than 90% water
and very few calories. Cabbage is also packed with fiber, as well as vitamins and folate.
Additionally, cabbage provides antioxidants, which specifically help prevent lung cancer.
Cabbage is a delicious veggie on its own, but can also be used in a lot of different recipes.
It’s also fermented into sauerkraut, which is high in water and helps your digestion.
Want to learn more about the benefits of cabbage? You might want to watch our video on what happens
to your body when you eat cabbage everyday. Now back to our discussion on water-rich foods...
Cauliflower
Good news, cauliflower lovers! Cauliflower is very hydrating. Just one cup contains more than
one-fourth a cup of water. Cauliflower is low in calories because of its high water content.
It’s also packed with more than 15 different vitamins and minerals, including choline,
which is important for brain health and metabolism. Cauliflower can be added to your
stir-fry, or roasted with spices. Instead of pizza crust made from refined grains,
you can try cauliflower-based pizza crust. It’s actually really good!
Lettuce
Lettuce contributes to your daily hydration needs. A cup of chopped
lettuce offers more than a quarter cup of water. It also provides fiber and folate,
which is essential for pregnant women. Lettuce is rich in vitamins A and K,
both of which play a role in maintaining your bone health and immunity.
Because of high water and fiber content, lettuce is extremely filling and low in calories.
A cup of lettuce contains only 10 calories. If you’re cutting out bread,
but still want that classic crunch, replace your burger bun with two pieces of lettuce.
Bell Peppers
Whether they’re red, yellow or green, bell peppers are extremely nutritious.
You’d be surprised to know that bell peppers contain more than 90% water.
Bell peppers are packed with fiber, B vitamins and potassium. These also
provide carotenoid antioxidants, which help prevent certain cancers and eye disease.
In addition to promoting immunity, their vitamin C increases your iron absorption, improves bone
health and provides protection against free radicals. Since these peppers are so low in
calories, you can eat large amounts and not have to worry about gaining weight. Bell peppers go
with countless recipes! From salads to stir-fries to sauces, you’ll never run out of things to eat.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes have stunning health benefits and are extremely hydrating. One medium tomato
offers about half a cup of water. One cup of tomato provides only 32 calories. Additionally,
tomatoes are rich in fiber, vitamins and lycopene.
Celery
Celery offers half a cup of water in a single serving. Being low in calories,
and high in water, celery can help your weight loss efforts. Celery contains fiber,
vitamin K and potassium, preventing heart disease and bone-related issues like osteoporosis.
Want a new dip for your celery? Try some hummus!
Broth and Soups
Since they’re water-based, broths and soups are very hydrating.
A cup of chicken broth is made entirely of water. Broths and soups are low calorie,
and may promote weight loss. Studies show that eating soup before the main course
results in fewer calories. This will bring down your daily calorie intake. To make your
soups more nutritious, add veggies like broccoli, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes.
Skim Milk
Skim milk is extremely healthy, and is made up mostly of water. It offers calcium, vitamin A,
B12, phosphorus and potassium. Skim milk can serve as a great post-workout drink,
as it’s very hydrating compared to other sports drinks. Because
milk contains electrolytes and protein, it works to replace the fluids you’ve lost.
Cottage Cheese
Not only is cottage cheese full of nutrients, 80% of its weight comes from water. Cottage
cheese is also high in protein, which promotes a feeling of fullness and may reduce appetite.
It provides B vitamins like riboflavin and B12, which are required for brain and bone health.
Would you like to learn more about the benefits of drinking water? Let’s
keep the conversation going with a couple of more videos, shall we?
Check out 8 health benefits of drinking water. Or
how about drinking water on an empty stomach immediately after waking up?
Go ahead, click one. Or better yet, watch both, and learn more about how
water benefits you when drinking on an empty stomach. Did you know about
these water-rich foods before watching this video? Let us know in the comments below!